1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to electronic devices, and more particularly to printed electronic devices.
2. Description of Related Art
Electromagnetic (EM) devices such as motors, inductors, sensors, etc. are often manufactured using lamination and winding or etching of electrical conductors. The materials in the assembly are selected for specific properties, for example, electrical or thermal conductivity, dielectric strength, and magnetic permeability. The three dimensional organization of these materials is critical for optimization of device performance.
With conventional methods, EM devices having optimal designs are often not easily manufacturable. Performance is then sacrificed due to processing constraints. Most recently additive manufacturing (AM) has been used to manufacture EM devices. AM methods significantly reduce the manufacturing design constraints for EM devices. However, preliminary explorations of conventional AM for EM devices have yet to find effective methods to fully integrate electrical function with mechanical structure. Beyond relaxing design constraints, direct printed electronics also bring the potential for significant cost reduction due to the inherent capability with roll-to-roll, lamination and other high volume manufacturing methods. A method to leverage flexibility of direct printed electronics, high volume three dimensional assembly, and materials selection for optimized performance, structural integrity, and encapsulation is desired.
Such conventional methods have generally been considered satisfactory for their intended purpose. However, there is still a need in the art for improved system for manufacturing printed electromagnetic devices. The present disclosure provides a solution for this need.